Owen Eshelman and Branden Ganashamoorthy gave Washington State something to hang onto Saturday at Oregon State, and if the numbers are any indication, the pairing might be just getting started.
Ganashamoorthy was Eshelman’s favorite target by a wide margin in the 48-30 loss to the Beavers, drawing 18 targets and turning them into 11 catches for 147 yards and a touchdown. All three marks were career bests for the 6-3, 199-pound fourth-year receiver from Monroe.
It took a few throws for the rhythm to show up. Early on, the timing between the two was a little off, and Ganashamoorthy had trouble finishing some of the chances that came his way. But once the two settled in, Eshelman kept coming back to him, and the results followed.
Eshelman, a 6-3, 204-pound second-year quarterback from Norman, made his first career start and found a steady answer in Ganashamoorthy. The 11 receptions were the most by a Cougar receiver in a game since Lincoln Victor caught 11 from Cam Ward in the 2023 Apple Cup. Ganashamoorthy’s 147 receiving yards were also the most by a Cougar since Kyle Williams posted 172 with Zevi Eckhaus in the 2024 Holiday Bowl.
"Owen and I have a pretty solid connection," Ganashamoorthy said Saturday following the 48-30 setback to the Beavers. "Our connection off the field definitely plays a part on the field.
So I think us being able to do it on the field from practice to now is just dedication to our work and our connection ... it starts on the practice field just from routes in the summer and honestly just getting timing down. A lot of the routes come down to timing when you're going to be in the spot."
For a team that has seen plenty of strong quarterback-receiver pairings over the years, this one flashed enough Saturday to give the Cougs a reason for hope.
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